Life Beyond Living
by OnceUponALullaby
Summary: Whatever it had meant before, he truly was his name now.


**Okay. So this is the (not really a rewrite) version. I have to say, I'm rather ashamed with how this came out. -shrugs- Oh well. I guess I'll keep it up...**

* * *

Act One: Zero

_i._

My name is Zero. Whatever it might have meant before, it truly became me now. Ever since that night four years ago, my name and I were the same. Zero. I have no friends except for Yuuki. But she's practically my sister, so she doesn't count. I also have no heart; the vampires saw to that. And now, my life means nothing to me.

I attacked Yuuki. Yuuki, who has always been there for me. And I attacked her, made her actually pass out. It shows what a monster I have become. Because that's all I am. A monster.

So now, my life is just that. Zero. For why live, when you have nothing to live for? This was what I thought about, while twirling a shining silver gun in my hand.

I thought over this, as I gazed solemnly at the sky.

* * *

_ii._

"See the sky, Zero-chan? Right beyond that is the veil covering the gateway to heaven. Pretty, ne?" The woman sighed wistfully. "One day, I'll pass through that veil, Zero-chan. Promise you'll visit me?" she held out her pinky, staring imploringly at the young boy.

"H-Hai, okaasan." He seemed to hesitate for a bit, before firmly reaching out to entwine his pinky with hers.

"You can't ever break this promise, Zero-chan, remember that!" his mother warned. "You must come visit me, and your otousan, too, when his time comes."

When he nodded stiffly, she let out a laugh, a wonderful sound; like bells chiming. Gathering him in a hug, she placed a light kiss on his forehead. They laughed and played for a bit, unaware of the second boy, hiding in the bushes, watching them. The small boy watched his brother and mom play, before he tore his eyes away from the sight, and ran away.

Later, Zero would pass by this very path, seeing a drop of clear, salty liquid on the leaf of a plant. He was pretty stupid to not realize it had been a tear.

* * *

_iii._

_'Great. I have no family; aside from a brother that hates my guts, I turned into my worst nightmare, and the one person who cared was attacked. By me, might I add,'_ I thought. Glancing down at the gun, I held it to my chest, right over my heart, toying with the idea of shooting and ending it right then and there. _'I wonder, kaa-san, do vampires go to heaven? Will I be able to join you after all?'_

I looked around; no one was there except for Yuuki, who was sitting on the limb of a tree, watching the Night Class. I felt a twinge of guilt when I saw the twin holes on the side of her neck.

She waved towards me, cheerful expression fading into one of horror as she saw the gun pointed at my heart. My mind made up, I switched off the safety cap of the gun. Smiling softly at Yuuki, I pulled the trigger.

_'Bang.'_

* * *

Act Two: Death

_i._

The noise shattered the silence like a bullet shattering glass. A loud crack was heard, and the wind whipped up, shredding through the sound waves until you could no longer hear it. Now you could only hear the broken sobs of Yuuki. She stood there, over my body, dry-heaving as tears coursed down her cheeks. Her eyes were a brilliant, shocking red, bright with tears and wide with fury and shock. For a second, I wanted to go back down to earth exclaiming, 'It's ok! It was all a joke. I'm still here, Yuuki.' But I couldn't. And now I never would.

It was like being split into two, I could see my body down there on earth, but my spirit was being ripped away, sent hurtling through the atmosphere. I could see myself growing closer and closer to the end of the sky, to that veil that existed between the heavens. And then I could see, I could truly see, saw my mother, my father, _(and Ichiro, I'm so sorry, Ichiro-) _standing there; waving. Waving at me.

Joyfully, I reached out towards them, hand outstretched as though trying to grab onto them. But suddenly, I was dragged downward, pulled sharply away, forced to watch them as they pleaded and screamed. I felt myself being dragged down, down, into the earth, as all manners of demons and creatures of the dark swarmed me.

I screamed, one last, haunting cry, before seeing-

* * *

_ii._

Black.


End file.
